


Fire And Ice (WonderBat)

by WonderWomanForEver



Category: Batman - All Media Types, DCU, DCU (Comics), Justice League & Justice League Unlimited (Cartoons), Justice League - All Media Types, Wonder Woman - All Media Types
Genre: F/M, Fluff and Angst, References to Ancient Greek Religion & Lore
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-26
Updated: 2021-01-26
Packaged: 2021-03-11 02:55:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 9
Words: 12,834
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28338054
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WonderWomanForEver/pseuds/WonderWomanForEver
Summary: "It's been a long day without you my friendAnd I'll tell you all about it when I see you again"It was her time to leave Man's World. But she returned ten years later. Everything around her had changed. Everything except her....
Relationships: Clark Kent/Lois Lane, Diana (Wonder Woman) & Bruce Wayne, Diana (Wonder Woman)/Bruce Wayne, Shayera Hol/John Stewart
Comments: 5
Kudos: 122





	1. Chapter 1

Princess Diana of Themiscyra was not a simple Princess. She has a heroine. A superheroine. She was Wonder Woman, the symbol of Peace and Hope, of Love and Compassion, not only for females but also for males. Perhaps she was the only heroine who had that effect on the public and one of the few not having a secret identity, because, as a Goddess of Truth, she didn't want to lie to anyone or hide something from people. She appreciated honesty and truthfulness not only from the people around her but also from herself, even though in a particular case she pushed those values aside and decided to hide things from someone she cared deeply.

Bruce Wayne, the so-called Prince of Gotham, seemed like a billionaire playboy whose only purpose of life was having a good time -specifically a good nighttime- and always get richer. The reality though was different altogether. He was a hurt child whose parents were murdered in front of him by a common thief who wanted to steal his father's wallet and his mother's pearls. A child who lost his whole world in just a few moments and with that his happiness, his innocence, his childhood, his smile... Then, he made a vow to his parents' graves. No other child in Gotham would have the same fate he had because he would prevent that. This vow became his new purpose and he did anything he could to achieve that. He traveled all over the world to learn martial arts from the masters and when he came back, he became the Batman, that Vigilante who wears a Kevlar suit, a cape and a cowl and strolls in the Gotham streets at night, fighting criminals in the name of Justice. On the other hand, he fabricated the persona of Bruce Wayne, that billionaire playboy who ran Wayne Enterprises, heritage of his parents. He learned to live with lies and façades. He learned to lie more than actually telling the truth. He learned to hide. He learned to push his own feelings aside and concentrate on his purpose -his mission as he liked to call it- and never let someone to his life... Hence, she didn't comprise an exception to this rule of his. But she did something that no one had managed to. She shattered all his walls and found her way to his heart by doing practically nothing...

It was indeed a love doomed from the beginning. She wanted to give it a try. She loved him too much to just let him go. He loved her too -perhaps more than she did- but he couldn't want to let her in because he was afraid of losing her.

That endless dance went on for several years. But one day, something occurred and everything was changed. For good.

~Watchtower~  
~Nine In The Morning~   
~Diana's Chamber~

She heard her clock ringing and almost jumped. She looked at it and read the time: Nine o' clock.

She let out a yawn and got up. Today was Saturday so she could rest for a while until the Founders' meeting at three o' clock. She smiled brightly. Saturday was definitely her favorite day. Actually, it was the only one when she didn't have early Monitor Duty. In fact, today she had none of it. She stretched, she dressed up and payed her respects to her Gods.

'Good morning, Diana' said the known voice in her head.

'Good morning to you too, J'ohn' she said as a response.

'How are you today?' He asked with genuine interest.

'Relaxing and waiting for our daily meeting. What about you?'

'I'm in the Monitor Womb. Only four missions to pay attention to. I'd rather say that somehow I relax too' he said with his usual stoic.

'That's good, I guess. Okay then, I'll see you soon in the Meeting' Diana brought their conversation to an end.

'I'll see you then' he said evenly and closed their telepathic link.

Diana returned to her own thoughts. If only every day were like this. She waking up whenever she pleased, relaxing for a while and then heading to the kitchen to have breakfast.

"Breakfast... That's a good idea," she said to literally no one and stood up from her bed in order to head to the kitchen and soothe the feeling of hunger that had taken the best of her out of the blue.

Walking through the corridors to the kitchen she almost found no leaguers to greet. Just two or three heroes were there and they were heading to the kitchen too. She found it quite extraordinary though attributed it to the fact that it was Saturday and everyone deserved some additional sleep or rest. Even superheroes. With that, she reached the kitchen's door. She opened it and got in. There were some heroes eating here and there. There was no queue so she didn't have to wait to take her simple breakfast -an iced mocha and some fruits with one slice of bread- similar to the one she had in Themiscyra, even though nothing can replace home.

Her home... How much she missed her home... Her mother, her sisters, her childhood bedroom and everything she had left behind when she was banished from it. How unfair it was... But now, she couldn't do anything at all.  
When she finished her breakfast she decided to head back to her room and continue her brood there.   
When she arrived at it though, she found someone she didn't expect to....


	2. Morning At The Manor

~Wayne Manor~  
~Nine O'clock in the morning~

The sunbeams entered the Master bedroom and filled it with bright light. Even the darkest corners lightened up. It even affected the owner of the Master bedroom who was sleeping under his silk sheets quite peacefully since no nightmare had interrupted his sleep yet. The sunlight though could do it with equal effectiveness like an intense nightmare.   
When the sunbeams hit him, he opened his eyes sleepily, lazipy like a kid who didn't want to go to school and asked for additional rest.

"Alfred. How many times do I need to tell you that this kind of awakening disturbs me overwhelmingly?"

He growled. He didn't even bother to look around him. He was certain that his loyal British butler would be here, waiting for him patiently to get up.

"Master Bruce, I must admit that you find me absolutely negative to that statement you just made. This is the only effective way of awakening you and after all, you yourself had told me to wake you up and nine o' clock because you had work to do and some files to update. So, if you want to blame someone, blame yourself," was his only response. In all his lecture he didn't lose that stoic expression that characterized him; next to his slender but tall figure.

"You know, that gets on my nerves," Bruce complained as he started opening his dark eyes sheepishly.

"What, sir?" Asked Alfred waiting for a response.

"Your cool demeanor mixed up with stoic expressions every time you speak. It's been centuries since I last saw you showing emotion," Bruce replied, unapologetically.

"You should talk, Master Bruce," Alfred responded with much venom in his voice. "Anyway, you can come down to the kitchen to have breakfast whenever you please."

"What about the kids?" Bruce asked genuinely interested.

"Today it's Saturday. They have the right to wake up whenever they want," Alfred replied and turned to leave.   
"Good morning, sir," he said as he exited the room.

"Good morning to you too, Alfred," Bruce replied quite loudly, in order for the butler to hear him. 

He let out a yawn which was proven quite louder that what he expected. He wasn't surprised by that show of exhaustion though, not at all. The previous night was a rough one to say the least. Penguin had decided to escape from Arkham Asylum and he thought to take some more thugs with him like Deadshot, Killer Croc and of course Two Face-his favorite one. So, yesterday he had his hands full, hence he took the rest of the Bat Family with him; Barbara, Cassandra, Dick and Jason. It was proven hard to hunt all those villains down and beat them especially when he was responsible for four kids; Dick was twelve years old, Jason and Barbara were eleven and Cassandra was only ten. He always feared about them in battle and kept an eye on them.

With those thoughts occupying his mind, he got up from his bed and made his way to the gym.

An hour later, he was in front of the Batcomputer, updating the files of the criminals he dealt with the previous night. He had just finished with Deadshot's file, when his Justice League commlink went off. He picked it up.

"Wonder Woman to Batman."

He heard her voice, that voice which made him shiver. She heard quite shaken and that concerned him. He managed to hide it though.

"What's going on, Princess?" He asked trying to seem as even as usual.

"I just wanted to say that I want you to come to our meeting today," she said reluctantly as a response.

"How come?" He asked again with genuine curiosity.

"I have something to announce. I want you to hear that too. It's too important," she answered.

"If it's that important, then why you don't tell me that now?"He wanted to know again. He wasn't going to go to that meeting. He had a lot of work to do and no time to spend by hearing Clark talking about Peace and Justice. But now, what Diana told him made him quite concerned. What would an Amazon want to say to them and was that important?

"Bruce, I want to say that to all of you. Please, do me that favor and come to the meeting," she practically pleaded him, the emotion lacing her voice.

"Alright then, I will come just for you. I had no intention to," he confessed absentmindedly.

"Thank you very much."

He could hear her smile from the commlink.

"I'll see you then," she eventually said and turned her communicator off. He did so too.

"That was very strange," he remarked as he started updating Two Face's file.

At three o'clock, he was in the meeting room of the Watchtower with Clark, John, Shayera, J'ohn and Diana. The Amazon Princess seemed really nervous; he didn't know what to think about it. Wally hadn't shown up yet. He finally did five minutes later.

"Where were you?" He asked not bothering to hide his anger.

"Sorry, Bats, but I had some trouble to deal with in Sidney. It was not a piece of cake, you know," he complained, almost shouting at him.

He never responded to him because Superman interrupted them in order to start that meeting that they should have already.

"Please take your seats and let's start," Clark said and the meeting began.

Everyone took their seats and started hearing at Superman's lecture that seemed to have no end....


	3. An Announcement

Sitting in the conference room of the Watchtower, Batman found his mind wandering and his patience running very thin. He was acutely aware of everything happening around him -the way Flash was drumming his fingers in an insane speed, how Hawkgirl kept glancing at Green Lantern out of the corner of her eye, the alluring scent of the Amazon Princess sitting to his right, Lantern incessantly tapping the end of his pen against the table, the gentle back and forth sway of Diana's crossed leg, the occasional orange glow of J'ohn's eyes.  
The only thing he was supposed to pay attention to, he was not. It was not that he had some kind of attention deficit disorder or that he couldn't focus. It was just that Kent had been droning on for almost an hour now about friendship and team spirit, trying to show them how to work with their teams as a cohesive unit.

While he could not fault the blue Boy Scout for his efforts in trying to coax the newly formed Justice League with the one hundred and seventy seven members- even though it's been almost three years of its expansion- into a harmonious relationship, he seriously didn't have time for this. Crime had been skyrocketing at an alarming rate in Gotham and he had to do something to put a lid on it fast before it spiraled out of control.

It was not like the seven of them had been arguing or not getting along. In fact, things couldn't have been better, now that everyone had accepted Shayera back in the team. Although, John was still trying to keep her at arm's length -especially after his weird break up with Vixen last week- Batman knew he could eventually welcome her back; even Diana did.

"And now, I've come to adjourn the meeting-" Clark said but Diana cut him up.

"Kal, please, I need to announce something," she said confidently and stood up from her chair.

"Oh, alright Diana," said Clark, a bit caught off guard by her intuitive but he just sat down. "Please, tell us what you want," he urged her.

"Well, today God Hermes came to my room and announced me something that is related to all of you," she started reluctantly her showing fear, sorrow and regret even though she tried to hide it with confidence. Batman grew concerned about her own announcement and focused on her forgetting anything else.   
"Hermes informed me about a decision of my mother. She said it's time I returned to Themiscyra to take my throne as the queen."   
She paused on that; her voice started breaking.   
The six heroes froze. They could not believe their ears. Diana, Wonder Woman, was about to resign the League and return to her homeland to become the queen of the Amazons.

"Why did she make that decision now?" Shayera asked, not bothering to hide her boiling rage.

"The Gods accepted my mother to Olympus alongside with three other Amazons. The rest of them will stay to Themiscyra and -as you know- they shall need a queen. I am my mother's heir so she invited me to accept my duties which I fairly deserve," she said as a response.

"So, what now?" Asked John gravely.

"I suppose I should resign from my title as Wonder Woman and of course from the Justice League and devote the rest of my life to my people in Themiscyra," she answered, sorrow lacing her voice.

"When are you leaving?" Superman wanted to know.

"I need to show up in Themiscyra in four days. I think it's enough time to say goodbye to all of you properly," Diana answered weakly.

Batman didn't say a thing during Diana's announcement. He didn't mean to. He was afraid of what he could possibly say, knowing that if he were her, he would do the same thing. He understood her decision. She was a heroine, but she was a princess too and she needed to take care of her people as well. He understood her, although he was mad at her. How could she do that to them? To him? How could she just resign and leave after everything they had been through?

When the meeting adjourned, he made his way to the teleporters to get back to the Batcave. He didn't see a reason to be there anymore. He didn't want to see her anymore, nor face her and thinking that this might be the last time he did. He couldn't bear that thought. So, he left for the Batcave and made a mental note not to go back to the Watchtower before those three remaining days passed, unless there was an emergency.

By the time he arrived at the Batcave, he rushed to the training room in order to release some of his unexpected and inexplicable anger. He took off his mask and the upper half of his costume.

Donning his boxing gloves, Bruce began to attack the punching bag with a vengeance, channeling every thought of his mind into each pound of his fists against the dense leather bag. He jabbed with his left before striking with his right, connecting with the bag in a punishing blow and causing it to shudder. Sneering, he growled with mounting frustration as he quickened his brutal assault on the bag.

"What is it Alfred?" He asked between bone-rattling blows to the bag's exterior.

Alfred hadn't announce his presence, standing silently just inside the door waiting for his one time ward to pause his merciless attack to the poor punching bag that was once again taking the full brunt of his Master's frustrations at the moment.

"I just wanted to know what makes you so enraged, Master Bruce. You didn't even switched on the Computer's screen," he said flatly.

"It's nothing, Alfred," Bruce replied as sweat trickled down his face, neck and back.

Alfred stood there for a brief moment.

"I don't think so. In my opinion, there is something going on with your colleagues in the Justice League," he stated evenly.

"I said, it's nothing," he insisted though he burned inside. It was frustrating how well Alfred knew him.

"If you are not willing to tell me, I guess I should call Master Kent to learn more from him," he maintained with a hint of threat.

Bruce have up and stopped hitting the bag.

"It's just that a member of the founders is going to leave for good," he said gravely as he took off his boxing gloves.

"Who's going to leave?" Alfred wanted to know even though he had a feeling about what answer he would receive.

"It's Wonder Woman, Alfred. She is going to return to her homeland to become queen," Bruce answered realizing how much it pained him to say that.

Alfred seemed surprised for a brief second.

"Oh, I see, Master Bruce. So, what are you going to do?"

Bruce was caught off guard by his remark.

"What do you mean? Who am I to make decisions for her? I mean, she's a grown woman, she can make her own. I don't think I have the right to interfere with her personal life," he argued staunchly.

"Yes, you have that right, sir, since her Highness has already interfered with your own life without even trying to," argued back Alfred with resolve.

"She's not-" Bruce started but intercepted himself with a growl.   
"Anyway, I'm not going to speak to her. At all. It's her own life. I will not mess up with her. She's leaving in three days and I am not going to even go to the Watchtower until they pass," he declared and his voice showed determination.

Alfred heard him patiently. When he finished, he just bowled slightly and made his way back to the kitchen to prepare some cookies for the kids.   
Bruce was left alone with his thoughts about a certain Amazon Princess...


	4. The Parchment

~Two Days Later~  
Diana was at her room at the Watchtower. Those three days that seemed like an eternity to her everytime she entered that room she couldn't help but think that this may be the last time she did. She was proven wrong again and again though.   
Unfortunately, today she would not be proven wrong again. Today was her last day in Man's World; her last day with her new family; her last day as Wonder Woman. J'ohn had insisted she didn't participate in any missions and he had prevailed, despite her protesting against him.

She thought about passing by her friends' doors and say goodbye. That's what she was preparing herself for. She knew it would be easy to face them knowing that she may never face them again. She knew who would be the first one.

She headed to the elevators, taking one up to the private administration floor above the transporter and command decks. Unsurprisingly, she found Superman in their conference room, up in the air preparing for the next founders' meeting which was due the other day; she wouldn't attend it.

"Kal."   
He turned to her with a cold expression.

"What brings you here, Diana? Haven't you left yet?"

His voice was cold, his bright blue eyes though were about to explode from emotion.

Diana could not bear looking at them.

"As for that, Kal, I just wanted to tell you that I'm leaving this evening and I came here so as to say goodbye to you," she replied almost in a whisper not bothering to think whether he could hear her; he was Superman.

"Well, then, farewell, Diana," Kal-El responded with a sad stare. "I hope we meet again sometime" he finished and hugged her tightly. An ordinary man would be just broken from his hold, Diana just felt even more guilty.

"I hope that too, Kal," she said with a trembling voice and a single tear rolled down her white cheek.

"I will never forget you," Kal confessed when they pulled back from the hug.

"Neither will I," Diana responded painfully and with that, she turned out and left the Conference Room knowing that this was the last time she had been there.

After walking almost ten minutes, she found her way to the Monitor Womb. She knew she would find J'ohn there, eating his favorite OREOs and maybe drinking some milk.   
As soon as she entered the Womb, she acknowledged his presence in her mind.

'How can I help you,Diana?' It was his question for her.

'J'ohn, I'm going to leave soon. I just came here to say goodbye properly', she confessed I her mind while a wave of sorrow hit her in the chest. She didn't know whether it was her own sorrow or J'ohn's.

'Well, I guess we need to say goodbye. I hope you are happy with your new duties and I wish you all the best for your new beginning' he eventually said as a response and Diana could feel her tears rolling down her suddenly red cheeks.

She ran to him and embraced him. He hugged her back with a tiny sad smile.

'Thank you so much J'ohn. For everything' she simply stated and left the room brushing her tears away as quickly as she could. Then, she felt their telepathic link closing.   
In that moment, a red streak passed by her and stopped a few feet in front of her.

"Hey Wondy," the Scarlet Speedster greeted her with a wide smile. "Supes told me you wanted to speak with me."

"Yes, Wally, I did," Diana confirmed his statement with a forced smile.

"What do you want us to talk about" Wally asked, his anticipation evident.   
Diana sighed audibly.

"Wally, today is my last day in the Justice League. Tonight, I'm leaving for my homeland," she said, as blankly as she could.

Wally's smile dropped immediately. She expected him to scream or short of. He just stood there, staring at her with a sad frown.

"You must go there, right?" He eventually asked.

"Yes," she replied with a curt nod.

"Well, then, good luck," he responded and hugged her tightly. She returned it and felt her shoulder wet from a couple of tears, coming from his masked eyes.   
She barely held her own tears and pulled away.

"Goodbye,Wally. I will definitely miss you," she said and a single tear rolled down her cheek.

"I'll be in the cafeteria if you need me," he marked but Diana was already gone.   
"She's starting to be like Bats", he muttered to himself and shook his head in disappointment.

Shayera Hol entered Diana's quarters, not surprised to find them almost empty in the least. She actually expected that. She looked around her, observing the big room decorated with patters and furniture reminiscing the Ancient Greek ones. She admired the fine pieces of art around her and wished Diana didn't just abandon them and leave. A small tear escaped her left eye and she wiped it immediately. Then, her gaze fell to something unusual and quite interesting. It was above a pile of paperwork and looked like a Greek parchment. Without a second thought, Hawkgirl grabbed the ancient material and left the room with a speed that even Flash would envy.

On her way, Diana ran into John Stewart. She stepped in her tracks as did he.

"John, I am... You know... Umm," Diana started, not knowing how to start this conversation with him properly.

"It's okay, Diana, I know you're leaving," he said evenly and took her in a hug. Diana hugged him back, surprised by his gesture.

"It's been a great honor meeting you, you'll be a great loss to the League and to us," he confessed, letting his strong and grave character go for a moment.

"All the honor is mine,"!Diana responded to him with a truthful look. "You are one of the most honorable and brave men I've met, John, and you deserve happiness in your life. Please, give her a chance."

Green Lantern gave her a shocked look.

"Diana, you have to know that-"

"You love her, and so does she," Diana cut him up. "Give her a chance, John, and you will she that you won't lose."   
And with that, she pulled away from him and left for her next stop, waving him goodbye.   
He waved her back.

"Farewell, Wonder Woman."

"Farewell, Green Lantern."

Soon, Wonder Woman arrived to the fourth floor of the Watchtower, outside the quarters of one of her best friends through her years as a superheroine, protector of the world and ambassador of peace.

She knocked the door a couple of times. She knew Shayera would be there. She usually locked herself in her room, trying her best to avoid a certain Green Lantern -even though she would never admit it.

"Who's there?" Her deep, fierce voice arrived to Diana's ears.

"It's me, Shayera. Diana," she replied weakly.

Almost immediately, her superhearing caught the redhead walking to the door, unlocking it and opening it for her friend.

As soon as they were face to face, Diana hugged her friend tightly. Shayera hugged her back and let some tears fall from her eyes.

"If you do that just for him," she started in a threatening voice despite her trembling.

"No, Shayera, I don't," Diana protested with all her resolve, already knowing who was him.

"But you could deny the throne! You couldn't leave us! You are obviously doing that because of him," Shayera insisted with all her stubbornness.

"What are you talking about?" Diana asked with a puzzled look. "I should go there. My mother ordered me..."

"I'm talking about this," Shayera cut her and revealed the parchment she had taken from Diana's quarters.   
A shocked expression appeared in the Princess' immortal face.

"Where did you find it?" She managed to whisper eventually.

"On your desk," Shayera replied curtly.

"And? You can't read this, it's in Ancient Greek," Diana highlighted with a triumphant look in her eyes.

"Actually, your highness, I can," Shayera pointed out, lacing the words 'your highness' with much poison. "I speak Ancient Greek as well as I speak Ancient Egyptian."

Diana remained speechless.

"In this parchment, your mother says that you can have the throne only if you want to. If you don't, then there's going to be a contest where the best warrior will be the next queen and you will not be permitted to Themiscyra ever again. Am I right?"

"You are right," Diana said with a weak nod. "It's true, I don't have to take the throne. But I want to. It's my legacy, Shayera. That's what my mother had prepared me for. It's my duty, my destiny. I knew it would happen someday, even though I thought it would be many years later."

Her steel determination had completely returned to her.

"Alright, Diana, I won't do anything else to prevent you from leaving. However, I think you need to have a word with a certain Bat," Shayera pointed out and hugged her friend again.

"I'll miss you so much," Diana whispered to her friend's shoulder, then pulled back and bowed.

"It was an honor meeting you, Shayera Hol. I promise I will never forget you and I wish with the whole of my heart that someone out there sees that you're meant to be."   
Then, Diana winked to her and left before Shayera could ever react.

Now, there was only one left to say goodbye. And that was going to be the hardest one...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


	5. The Depart

Standing outside Wayne Manor had always been a pleasant thing for Diana. Despite feeling a bit of anticipation and anxiety she always thought of it as a remarkable experience. But now, it could be the worst thing she ever experienced in probably all her eternal life.

It was the last time she was going to set foot to this estate. She knew she would miss it. Especially its residents.   
She would miss Alfred, the English butler with the great manners, that always managed to keep a poker face even when he was told a good joke.   
She would miss the Bat Family. Nightwing, Dick, with that iron will and fist and the giant heart. Red Robin, Tim, that boy with the huge brown eyes that looked straight in her heart. Batgirl, Barbara, with the fierce, red hair. The other Batgirl, Cassandra Cain, that trained assassin who almost never spoke but hid a heart full of goodness. The Spoiler, Stephanie, the blond girl with the cute blue eyes.

And, in the end, she would miss the Master, Bruce Wayne. Him perhaps, she would miss the most of all the others. She would miss his curt manners, that were escorted by a glare from Alfred, she would miss his famous Batglare that actually had no effect on her but he did it anyway. That deep baritone of his voice, that always made her shiver, his piercing dark blue eyes that she had grown to adore. Everything. She would miss everything from him. A sad smile appeared in her face.

She hesitated to ring the bell of the door. She'd been staying outside for almost ten minutes and still she hadn't found the courage to ring the bell.

When she did, three minutes later, she was welcomed by an Alfred with a warmer look than usual.

"Oh, miss Diana," he greeted her and bowed slightly.

"Hello, Alfred," she greeted him back with an almost forced smile.

"Is there something wrong?" He asked, having definitely noticed her hesitation. She must have known.

"No," she lied. "Is your Master here?"

"Indeed, he is, your Highness," Alfred replied with all his courtesy. "He's in the Cave for almost two hours and working."

"Good, then, I'll pay him a visit," Diana said and started walking towards the library where the entrance to the Batcave was.

"I'll make you a cup of tea," Alfred announced and ran to the kitchen.

"That'd be great," Diana murmured and entered the library.

She waited for Alfred to bring her her tea before she would go down to speak with Bruce for one last time.

She knew that he wouldn't come to say goodbye as everyone else did. He could never make it. So, she took the initiative and came to the Manor to say her own goodbye. It would be too much for her were she to leave without saying goodbye to _him._ She would always feel she left something unfinished behind her. And she didn't want that to happen.

"Here's your tea, your Highness," Alfred said when he brought her a porcelain cup of the hot liquid. "Or should I say Your Majesty, now that you're due to be crowned?"

"You can call me, Diana, Alfred. We're not foreign, for Hera's sake."

"You must feel happy," Alfred went on, with some bitterness in his voice. "It's all you ever wanted. You're going back to your home, back to your family."

_This isn't_ _my_ _only_ _home, Alfred._ _There is a family for me here as well._

"That doesn't mean that I'm not going to miss all of you," Diana said as a response to him and took a sip of her tea to soothe her dry throat.

"Indeed," was all Alfred said. Then, he turned and left the library with a courtesy.

Diana was left on her own. When she finished her tea, she put it on the small table in front of her and opened the grandfather clock to enter to the Batcave.   
Few knew about that entrance and she always felt proud to be one of them. Pity she would never be able to use it again.

She got to the elevator and waited until she reached the floor she wanted. She got out slowly.

She looked around her. It wasn't hard at all to spot Batman. He was sitting in his chair in front of the Batcomputer and was furiously typing some algorithms she would never understand.

She walked towards him, trying to make as less noise as possible. However, it wasn't enough to not make her presence known to the world's greatest detective.

"Princess," he said blankly as she approached him.

"Bruce," she greeted him with an equally colorless voice.

"To what do I owe the honor of your visit?"

"I thought I had to say goodbye," Diana replied quietly. "After all we've been through, I-I thought it was obligatory to come and say goodbye... For the last time," she stuttered. She couldn't believe she was in that position. She would never she him again, and she could not bear even the thought of it.

"I can tell," he replied curtly, never stopping typing.

That's when Diana started growing irritated by his attitude.

"Could you please take a break from your work and actually _face_ me? It's not like you're ever going to _see me again!_ "

At this point, Bruce actually stopped working and turned to face her. His mask was covering almost half of his face, which was really useful to him right now.   
He crossed his arms on his broad chest.

"What do you expect me to do? Tell you not to go? _Beg_ you not to go? Anything of those would just make things worse and we both know that you're already too sad with all those things that are happening. I would never want to make it all worse," he stated icily.

Diana was awestruck by his speech.   
"And so, for the sake of the situation, you didn't come to say goodbye just like _everyone else_ did?"

"I didn't come because I knew that you'd feel sad when I did. And that's definitely what I don't want to do to you," he insisted as he let his hands fall to his sides.

Diana walked closer to him.

"Why you didn't come?" She asked him with a good sense of anger.

"For the last time, I didn't want to make it worse than it already was," he insisted.

"You _did_ make it worse by not coming. Is that so? You can't even bear my presence now?"   
She sounded desperate.

"No, Diana, I just..."

"You what, Bruce?!"   
She practically screamed and some bats screeched and flew some meters above them.

"I can't bear the thought of never seeing you again!"  
He screamed back, sounding as desperate as she did.

Diana was stunned by his confession.

"What did you just say?" She whispered.

She couldn't see his expression under his cowl.

"Never mind," was his only response as he turned his attention back to the Batcomputer.

Diana grew furious.

"Bruce, take that mask off your face," she practically ordered him with a shaky voice.

"Why?" He asked indifferently.

"I want to see your face for the last time. You can't refuse that, now can you?" she said calmly this time.

"No," he bluntly refused.

"Oh yes," she countered and flew towards him. Without even blinking, she landed just a few inches in front of him, grabbed his mask from both sides and pulled it off with one move.

"There you are," she whispered when she had tossed the piece of cloth away, running a hand thorough his black curls.

Bruce stayed silent for a moment, letting her and him savor it. It hurt him to see her like that. So sad and hurt, so desperate. He would miss her too much, he knew it. He had broken ten punching bags those five days.

Diana stared into his eyes.

"You know, I had some tearful conversations with the rest of our friends. I hugged them, I told them to be happy in their lives. With you, all I want to do is stay here and look at you eyes."

She couldn't believe she was saying all these to him. But it seemed the right thing right now.

He pulled her to his arms slowly. She didn't stop him. She needed that right now.

"Don't worry, Princess," he whispered to her hair with his best reassuring voice. "You're going to be fine. Just don't look back. There's a whole new life waiting for you back there. Don't look back."

She let some tears roll to his neck as she touched its crook.

"I know I won't be fine. I'm going to miss you terribly. All of you." And then she hesitantly added: "Especially _you."_

Bruce didn't reply to her. He just softly stroked her raven curls and stared at the darkness of the Cave. He had the Light in his arms. The real Light. His Darkness had captured the Light. He didn't want to let her go. He wanted to keep her like that for the rest of eternity. But it was impossible.

Diana broke the silence first.

"If I had to say just one thing that would be..."   
She hesitated. Oh, how much she longed to say it. She craved to say it. She knew she meant it. And she was mostly sure he would say it too.

_She loved him._

"Bruce, I... I..."

She started but he interrupted her with his index finger in her lips. He had took off his gloves sometime and she had no idea of it.

"Hush, Princess. Please, don't say it. It'll make things worse."

Diana's eyes filled with tears once again.

"So, you _do_ know," she whispered and let the tears run to her cheeks and wet them.

He just nodded.   
That was all Diana needed.   
She leaned in, and connected her lips with his.

When that happened, Bruce inhaled sharply and his voice was barely audible.

" _Diana_."

His lips moved against hers when he said that. But then, he just gave in.   
His hands gripped her shoulders and locked them snugly around her back.   
Diana let a hand slid back into his hair while the other hugged both his shoulders.

They kissed for quite lots of moments. It felt like years, but it might be some seconds. They got lost in each other's warmth. Diana wanted to cry. Yet, no tear seemed to appear. She felt happy. She was kissing the man she loved and this time it wasn't to hide from Thanagarians in an Indian Restaurant.   
This time it was real.

The kiss grew more passionate. He didn't want them to stop. Although, he knew they had to.   
Eventually, it was Diana who broke it. And she did it slowly.   
Their foreheads touched as they struggled to catch their breath.

"Goodbye, Bruce," Diana said when she gained back her ability to speak and with one last brief kiss she called the elevator and left, leaving him one last look, full of sorrow.

Bruce was left alone in his Cave. He pulled his cowl back on.   
Absentmindedly, he touched his lips.   
He missed her already.

_I love you too, Princess._

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The next morning, Diana packed all her things to The Invisible Jet and left Man's World for good.   
She was no longer a Princess. She was Queen of the Amazons.   
But to _him,_ she knew she would always be _his Princess._

_~~~~~~~~~~~~~_


	6. Ten Years Later

Queen Diana sat in her favorite rock in a shore at Themiscyra, just watching the waves of the blue ocean hitting the sand and staring at the vastness of the horizon in front of her. She remembered one particular night, almost fifteen years ago, when she had stolen the sacred armor of the Amazons and all the weapons they were keeping in the Temple of Athena. That night she was staring at the horizon and thinking that now she would at last be able to explore it all. Now, just looking at it, brought her memories of her time at Man's World that she wanted to bury inside her for good. She treasured them all, yet she wanted to forget them for she was afraid they might make her want to go back one day.

And she shouldn't, she mustn't return.

She had been saying that to herself every day for the last ten years, the years after her return to Themiscyra infinitely. She was craving for this moment, the moment of her return home, until she actually returned and realized what she had left behind her.

She did miss her Wonder Woman persona. She even missed her suit. She had taken it off and replaced it with a regal, Ancient Greek tunic that represented her supreme position. The sacred armor of the Amazons was locked back in her place in the Temple of Athena.

She missed her mother. She knew that she might come and visit them one day but that day seemed never to come. It's been ten years and no sign of her.

She missed the Justice League. All their missions and their utmost cause for the establishment of peace, justice, and truth. It always made her happier to watch people smile again because the Justice League had saved their city or their village. Their admirable work and reward gave her more satisfaction than anything.

She missed her fellow heroes and dear friends. Hawkgirl, the stubborn and sometimes pigheaded Shayera, who never fully submitted to someone's plan and always followed her own instinct. The Flash, the cute and kind hearted Wally, who was always here for her, like her younger brother, and she was there for him too. Martian Manhunter, the noble and selfless J'ohn J'onzz, who valued her friendship and showed her that there's always some hidden greatness in the world, even when she thought there wasn't. Green Lantern, the stern John Stewart, who always wanted to push her buttons and eventually grew to respect and trust her more than most of the people she knew. Superman, the Boy Scout Clark, who became her tutor and guide when she first came to Man's World. And, lastly, Batman, the cryptic and shady Bruce, with whom took much effort to get along and even be friends.

And she was sure that she missed him the most. Their kiss was all she thought about in her flight to Themiscyra and it popped up in her mind now and then for those ten years. She loved him. That she had realized years earlier. But she had to bury all those memories and sentiments deep enough to never recall them again. She had to forget her life in Man's World. She was the Queen of the Anazons now. And that was escorted by too much responsibility.

**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**

John Stewart and Shayera Hol came to realize a few things for their own relationship. Maybe it was because Diana's words affected them both. Maybe it was because they saw how much her departure affected Batman and neither of them wanted to be in his condition. Maybe it was just because they couldn't bare being apart from each other anymore. Whatever it was, six months after Diana's leave, they both had made up their minds and decide to never be apart. They married three months later. And soon, Shayera had some very good news to share with her husband.

**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**

Clark Kent and Lois Lane were always in love. They had been in love since the first day they set eyes on each other. Therefore, just four months after Diana's departure, Clark proposed to her and their wedding took place in the small church of St. Paul in Smallville. Clark needed to lend a small loan from a certain billionaire friend of his, but the man didn't seem to care too much. It was their wedding gift from him. He became Clark's best man and he even cracked a smile when the groom kissed the bride. Clark and Lois's true happiness had just started...

**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**

J'ohn adored being Martian Manhunter and saving the world from the Watchtower, where he monitored every single mission of the Justice League. Although, in his spare time, he had found a rather eccentric hobby to entertain himself. He became a detective for Scotland Yard and he helped the British Police solve several types of mysteries; obviously no one ever found out his true identity.

**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**

Wally West had found the love of his life in Linda Park. They have been living together for ten years and the whole Justice League was expecting to hear their wedding bells soon. Wally just wished someone else was here with him too, to share his moments of immense happiness.

**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**

Bruce Wayne was sitting in his chair in front of the Batcomputer, waiting for some test results, reading a bunch of articles from different newspapers. They all referred to a certain vigilante who roamed the streets of Bludhaven.

"He's doing rather well in his own, doesn't he?" He heard Alfred's voice behind him. The butler silently left a tray with a cup of strong coffee and some water next to him.

"It appears he does," Bruce replied to him as he picked up his coffee and sipped a few.

"Well, he had an exceptional mentor," Alfred remarked on his way out.

The Batman couldn't help but smirk.

The minutes later, he left for patrol and he returned four hours later, completely safe. No scratches, no bites, no bruises. He was intact.

"Was the last night productive?" He heard Alfred again, his voice coming from somewhere in the room where he kept the batarangs and all his weapons.

Bruce chose to ignore his question and learn his intention why he was on that part of the Batcave instead.

"What are you doing there?" He asked bluntly.

"I'm trying to make those pieces of soulless metal, shine," was all the answer he took.

Bruce rose an eyebrow.

"And how long have you been doing that?"

"About three hours,now," Alfred responded coldly to him.

"You're getting slow in your old age, Alfred," Bruce mocked him, a bit joyfully.

"Even you got too old to die young," Alfred countered bitterly. "Not the luck of trying," he added even more bitterly.

Bruce just scoffed and sighed, and without paying him anymore attention he went back to his chair and took off his cowl and gloves.

Five minutes later, Alfred came in to the Batcomputer room.

"Master Bruce, I think this brooding of yours has to stop."

Bruce was shocked. How the Hell this man could read his poker face so easily? Yet, he chose to use his usual façade. Denial.

"For Christ's sake, Alfred, I'm not brooding!" He shouted, and his elbows hit the chair.

"I've been hearing this line for thirty years, but you haven't stopped brooding," Alfred replied curtly but honestly.

Bruce didn't say anything as a response.

Hence, Alfred spoke again to break the awful silence.

"I know you miss her. If you really want to communicate with her, there is always a way; you just have to find it. And, please, never think that she doesn't miss you as well."

And he left the Cave like the wind. He made no noise. And Bruce was left alone with his last words in his head. It was true. He did miss _her._ He missed her like Hell. But he knew that he'd never see her again.

**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**

Diana was walking back to the City of Themiscyra when she spotted a piece of paper in the sand. She approached it and picked it up. She saw her name carved upon it with golden, Latin letters.

She opened it with trembling hands.

And she almost screamed when she read the inside of the 'golden letter.'

**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I tried to make this chapter lighter than the previous one, because this story isn't just angst.
> 
> But I think that was enough fluff.
> 
> In the next chapter, we'll get to see what that letter hid and how's that going to affect Diana's remain in Themiscyra.
> 
> Will she ever come back or she'll stay in Paradise Island for eternity?


	7. The Invitation

Artemis of Themiscyra was a renowned fighter, a loyal soldier, and a fearless warrior. She was one of the best Amazons that ever existed. She was a perfect example for her people, a beacon in which they could rely on and aspire themselves to become better women. Queen Hippolyta knew all this, hence she made Artemis the tutor of her only daughter, Diana, when she became an adolescent. Artemis was bound to teach her to fight, to wield a sword, and to fire an arrow. Thanks to her exceptional teaching and to the Princess's own spectacular qualities, Diana grew up to be an exquisite fighter, soldier, and a suitable heir for her queen mother.

And now, that this time had come, the time when Diana wore the Crown of the Amazons, Artemis couldn't be more proud for her student and niece.

That morning, although, when she got a call from Queen Diana to go and meet her to the Throne Room, she was very curious and suspicious of her intentions to do so.

For Artemis knew that the Queen, the only Amazon who left Themiscyra to go and live with the distasteful _men_ for almost six years, would never throw her memories from Man's World away and, maybe, the undeniably strong bonds that she had formed with them might make her leave her homeland again and return to them. She didn't even want to think about about that possibility but she knew that -unfortunately- it would always exist.

As soon as she entered the Throne Room, her red hair flowing into the mild breeze, she noticed her Queen, wearing a golden tunic and a pair of sandals, looking as flawless as ever.

 _She's Gods's work after all,_ Artemis thought with pride for her loyal liege.

Diana rose her sapphire eyes and spotted her Captain of The Queensguard -she had named her herself the day she was crowned. A genuine smile lit up her face and she approached her gracefully.

"Good morning, Your Highness."

"Oh, for the sake of Hera, Artemis, there's no need to call me 'Your Highness'!" Diana exclaimed exasperatingly. "I'm just Diana. You've been calling me that since I was a little girl. Why should you change it now that I am Queen?"

Artemis kept her stoic expression to her face, trying to suppress a smirk of enjoyment that threatened to appear.

"I am sorry, your Highness, but it is a matter of good manners," she replied kindly.

Diana felt a pitch of nostalgia hitting her all of a sudden. This incredibly formal address of Artemis to her, could not but remind of a certain British butler. However, she just rolled her eyes, putting the memory to the back of her head with all the rest.

"May I know the reason of my presence here?" Artemis asked with a good amount of wonder.

Queen Diana sighed and went back to sit upon her throne.

"I think there is something you should be aware of," the Queen of the Amazons started.

"And that is?" Artemis urged her.

"There is a piece of paper," Diana answered quietly. "I found it on the beach some hours ago."

She produced a piece of paper from the back of her throne and handed it to the redhead with half-trembling hands. The latter took it and unfolded it. It was a simple, white paper, decorated with purple and pink roses, adorned with lace embroideries and the letters looked fine and neat. 

_The honor of your presence is requested at the wedding of Wallace Rudolph West and Linda Jasmine Park._

_Sunday, the Twenty-eighth of July, Two Thousand Twenty-seven at half past six in the afternoon._

_The Bay Gardens of Mt. Addision_   
_1278 Mountain Lane_

Artemis rose her eyes from the paper back to her Queen in a mixed expression of emotion and disbelief.

"What is this, _your Highness?"_

Diana took a deep breath before answering.

"This is a wedding invitation that was brought here for me," she explained.

"How do you know it's for you? It could be just a piece of paper that..."

"It's not," The Queen cut her off curtly. "If it was it'd be soaked in water but it's completely drained. I know it's for me because I know both the groom and the bride. He was one of my colleagues and friends."

Artemis took a moment to study her queen's body language, trying to understand and guess the outcome of this conversation.

"Please, your Highness, don't you tell me that you really considering attending that wedding."

"I haven't decided yet," Diana replied with a hint of honesty. "But, anyway, I will be the one to decide it. Not you. Not any other."

Her voice was so adamant, so determined. It reminded Artemis of Hippolyta, her former queen.

She rose her head and her green eyes met the blue eyes of her Queen.   
"You know, your Highness, no matter what you decide, my loyalty to you will not lower. You are my Queen, and I am bound to you forever."

She did mean what she said. Every word of it. Diana didn't need to use the Lasso of Hestia to make sure of it.

"I thank you for that, Artemis," she said warmly. "You are dismissed."

The Captain of the Queensguard bowed respectively to her, turned around, and left the Throne Room in silence.

Diana was at last left alone to think about what she was going to do.

Her brain was telling her that she had to fold the invitation, burn it, and forget about it for good. It was for the best of her and her people. Themiscyra needed its sovereign, and she needed to forget.

Her heart, though, was telling her to accept the invitation, prepare for the wedding, and attend it with a suitable gift for the couple. It was a sign from the Gods. A sign which indicated that she had to go back to Man's World. Maybe they had need of her. Maybe there was a new threat looming over them and she had to join them to save the Earth once again. Maybe she just missed them too badly and she was looking for an excuse to leave and see them again; see _him_ again.

The Queen of the Amazons let out a deep sigh and buried her face in her hands. That was going to be _a Hell of a day,_ trying to quote Wally who'd said something like that twelve years ago.

_Oh Wally..._

He was actually getting married after all those years of circling Linda Park without even managing to ask her out on a real date. And now she had gotten their wedding invitation.

 _Wallace Rudolph West._ She never knew that he had a middle name, let alone that this name was Rudolph. It was a silly name; and at the same time unbelievably cute. Just like the man who bore it.

He had invited her to his wedding. She wanted to refuse. She had to refuse. She must refuse. It was her duty to refuse.

_It was also her duty, that night when she left Themiscyra to fight for Mankind, to stay there and leave them all to die._

When the sun set into the uniquely blue sky of Greece, Diana had made up her mind irreversibly.

She went to the Temple of Athena. She found the sacred armor and weapons and took them again.

She returned to the Palace and wrote a parchment for Artemis. This time she was going to make things right and not leave chaos behind her. When she finished writing it, she placed it on her wooden desk and prepared to leave Themiscyra once again.

She put her Wonder Woman costume on a leather sack that she carried and dressed up in the only 'modern' clothes she had kept from Man's World.

She prepared to take off, like the last time. She threw one last look to her dormant homeland and hovered to the air before starting flying to the sky, under countless stars and a silver moon.

After ten whole years of absence, she was finally going back.

**< ><><><><><><><><>**


	8. Meetings

Central City wasn't as busy and noisy as she had left it, but way more than before. She did know that ten years could change situations and people dramatically but she never expected this...   
The USA of 2017 in general were almost nothing alike what she had left in 2007, the year of her departure. Their new President was a misogynist pig, an unworthy man who was elected because he was convenient for the capitalists.   
Technology had developed in unbelievable ways. She couldn't wait to visit the Watchtower and see how it would have changed; and the Batcave as well...

She wasn't used to such big changes. In Themiscyra, everything was almost perfectly stable. Nothing happened in her homeland. Her people were the same for thousands of years, and her mother was always the same, stubborn, fierce, and the strong leader that she knew ever since she was born. The only thing that changed in their world was she.

But no, Man's World was nothing like that. Man's World was a place constantly changing, developing, transforming. There, everything could change in a few days, or hours, or even minutes.

Letting a sigh of desperation, Diana continued flying above the massive city, her eyes never ceasing scanning as many things as they could.

Her stop was in about five minutes. Wally's flat was in the corner of the city, if he hadn't moved on to another. She would find that out soon.

She was overjoyed when she saw his name to the doorbell, though she hesitated to ring it. She just stayed and stared at it for some minutes until she gathered enough courage and rang it.

The door opened slightly and revealed a beautiful young lady in a pair of cozy shorts and a casual T-shirt. Her eyes still had that charming glam.

"Hello, Linda," Diana mumbled, feeling ashamed of ringing their door at this time, without forewarning them.

"Oh my God! It's you! It's Wonder Woman!" Linda Park practically screamed and invited her in with a nod of her head. Diana walked into the house with a kind smile. "I'm going to call Wally. He's still on the bed, that lazy red ball."

Linda disappeared and Diana heard her shouting at someone, presumably her soon-to-be-husband.

Soon after, a handsome red haired man approached her, wearing a pair of green pajamas and yellow shocks. His green eyes were sparkling and he shot her a wide smile.

"Di, you're back!" He shouted with overpowering joy and hugged her tightly. She hugged him back.

"Oh, Wally, I'm so glad to see you." Then, they pulled back. "It's so great to see you after so much time. I've missed you. I've missed you all."

"Di, we have missed you too. Terribly," Wally said and showed her a seat to the kitchen. She took it gratefully and he proceeded into making some coffee.

"Would you like some coffee?" He asked her.

"No, thank you," she answered. "Some water would be just fine."

"Water it is, then," Wally replied with a pleasant smile and poured her a glass as he waited for the coffee machine to be done. "Those ten years would be so better if you were here. I mean, it's not like we faced an alien invasion or anything as huge, but no one was able to talk Bats to reason. Not even Supes. And those were the times that we missed you; you know, when you just glared at him and made him change his mind. Those were good times."

Diana tried to avoid talking about Bruce and tried to change the subject of their discussion.

"How is everyone by the way?"

"Haven't you gone to the Watchtower yet?" Wally asked her surprised.

"No, I wanted to visit you first," Diana replied. "I wanted to thank you for the invitation and congratulate you. It's honestly great news."

"Thank you, Di," Wally said as a response and poured the prepared coffee to two mugs. He kept the one and took the other to Linda, who had stayed to another room. He came back soon after.

"Frankly, you have to go to the Watchtower. Everyone will be so glad to see you," he continued their conversation as soon as he came back and started drinking his own coffee.

"I know, Wally. I'll definitely get there as soon as I can," she replied with a smile. Then, she took a minute and studied him. He had changed so very much. His face was a grown man's now, his attitude was less childish, more mature and calm. "You've changed so much," she confessed to him.

"You, on the other hand, haven't changed at all," Wally commented with a smirk. "Just the same, dazzling, immortal Princess that I remember."

"Yes," she agreed absentmindedly. "So, how are the others? How is Kal?"

"Well, he's better than ever, I dare say. He's married to Lois, and they have three amazing children; two sons and a daughter. Supes can't get enough of them. Being a father really suits him."

"I can tell," she said with a short laugh, feeling proud of her friend. "What about J'ohn?"

"He's working on the Watchtower and researches a lot. But in his spare time, he's a Scotland Yard Detective, solves cases, finds murderers, and then he just disappears. He loves the humans and I can say that they love him as well."

"I'm sure of it. He's adorable after all," Diana agreed, happy for her friend who seemed to have found peace after all the trauma of his past. "And Shayera? What about her?"

"She's going to be Linda's bridesmaid, along with some of her friends. She's having her own family now too. John finally confessed his feelings to her and they got married. They have two boys who look so much like her and she's having a headache catching them from the air when they fly above her head."

Diana laughed on that. She was sure that Hawkgirl's children would be fierce and headstrong like her long ago. And now, she was happy with her husband and sons.

"And... Bruce?" She asked nonchalantly. "How is he?"

"More miserable than you remember. He's visiting the Watchtower more and more seldom every year. Last time he came over was two months ago. To be honest, he struggles with the bad guys in Gotham, but when we needed him, he was there. Now he's not. He's also gotten some new friends for the famous BatFamily of his. A new guy, Batwing, who's a very nice one, a new gal, Batwoman, that you're going to adore-she has your temper- and a new Robin, Damian- he resembles him so much, one would say he's his son."

Diana listened to him very carefully and yet she had a question.

"I'm glad to know that he's expanded the Bat Family, but what about _him_? Does he have any true family?"

Wally shook his head.

"No. He's growing more lonely every passing year. Maybe it's the fact that he's aging; or maybe he's just _missing_ something," he replied, emphasizing on the word _missing,_ trying to give her a certain innuendo.

Diana just nodded.

She stayed with Wally and Linda for almost an hour. Then, she thanked them again for the invitation and promised that she would attend their wedding with pleasure. After, she left their flat and flew straight to the Watchtower of the Earth.

The first League member who spotted her was Clark. And when he did, he called for an urgent meeting of the founding members, in order to introduce her properly, even though she strongly objected to that. She didn't want to interrupt their routines. Yet, they both knew that she already had. Her return was one of the best new they had those past ten years.

Diana took a moment and studied the new Watchtower. Everything has changed radically. Walls made of glass, high tech gadgets beyond imagining, new hearses around that she hadn't seen before, and so much more that she couldn't process immediately.

She was the only one who hadn't changed at all... 


	9. The Wedding

The sun looked brighter that day and they sky seemed to have a purer and brighter blue than any other day of their lives. That's how Wally West and Linda Park saw that day, the day of their marriage.

The ceremony was at the evening and they seemed to have plenty of time to get ready. Wally stayed at his apartment and used the help from his friends from work and from the League.

"So, where's Bruce?" He asked, as he was being shaved by three men and made sure that that day was the most luxurious in his whole life.

"He said he'd come," Clark replied nonchalantly.

"Maybe he'll go straight to the church where the marriage will take place," John Stewart added.

A look of disappointment and disapproval appeared instantly at Wally's face.

"He should have come here though," he muttered. "I told him I'd be more than delighted to see him here. I mean, it's the most important day of my life. I want my friends to be with me and he's one of them, not just a simple guest," he complained and both Clark and John knew he had a point.

"Wally, you're right but-" Clark started to excuse Bruce only to be interrupted.

"Don't you dare tell me that he's not in a good mood," Wally protested with a glare. "He can't be mourning about Jason, because he came back. His city is perfectly calm; no big bad guys making a fuss and bringing chaos. So, what on Earth can be bothering him?"

"Maybe he's upset with Diana's return," Clark replied cautiously.

"Oh God, I'd almost forgotten," Wally said as realization struck him and his eyes immediately widened. "Yes, it must be her," he murmured, fully aware of the situation. "What happened when they met after so long?"

"Actually, they haven't," John answered. "Judging by the fact that both the Watchtowers are still in one piece."

"Wait, this is no joke," The Flash said with a genuine seriousness. "You just revealed that they are gonna meet again after so long in my marriage ceremony?"

"Well, as it seems, that's the strongest probability," John confirmed his fear.

"Thank you for telling me so I can be prepared for anything," Wally whispered and shit his mouth, since the razor blade neared his cheeks and they couldn't be cut by mistake. Not at the day of his marriage.

**~*~**

Shayera and Diana joined Linda at her preparations, even though Shayera wanted to go with John at Wally's apartment. Yet, Diana talked her out of this. It had to be just men for Wally and just women for Linda.

Now, the two old friends stood alone at the balcony of Linda's house, letting her close friends help her with the preparations.

Diana looked at her redhead friend that she so badly missed those ten years of her absence. When they reunited, she just couldn't stop hugging her and they stayed like this for more than ten minutes without saying word, without shedding a tear. It seemed like they communicated with their minds and emotions and that was all they needed.

"I can't believe this is the first wedding I'm attending in Man's World," Diana said half excited and half ashamed. "I really wish it wasn't," she added bitterly.

"What do you mean?" Shayera asked.

"I mean that I came back and found you all married with children and I wasn't there to share your happiness," Diana answered, her sadness more than evident, along with a strong amount of guilt. "Hera, I wasn't even at your marriage with John. It must have been the happiest day of your life, marrying the man you truly loved after so much pain and struggling with your own feelings. I wasn't here to be apart of this immense joy. I'm an awful friend."

"No, Diana, you're not," Shayera protested and hugged her shoulders. "You did your duty, like any of us would. And also, you should know that I'm very proud of you. You eventually got what you deserved. I know that this is what you wanted above everything else."

"Do you really mean that?" Diana asked, moved by her friend's kindness.

"Of course I do. Isn't that all you ever wanted?"

"If you say so," The Queen of the Amazons muttered and immediately lit up. "You know, being a mother has softened you a lot."

"Really?" Shayera asked with a smile.

"Yes," Diana responded with a nod. "So, tell me about your children. They must be pretty fierce and stubborn, given their parents characteristics."

"Well, I never thought that having to deal with two boys and one girl with wings every day could be so much fun," Shayera replied. "All three are really hard to cope with and they don't seem to be getting tired, but honestly I don't think that anything in the world would bring me more happiness than waking them up every day and looking at their adorable faces."

"I'm so happy with you," Diana said sincerely. "You seem more at peace than ever."

"That's true," Shayera agreed. "And, when me and John need some time on our own, we have the best babysitter in the world, the only person that my little fiends actually listen to."

"And who's that?" Diana questioned with a rising eyebrow. "He sounds quite like a metahuman."

"Well, he definitely _is_ one," Shayera responded. "It's Alfred."

Diana's face expression changed to a mixed reaction as soon as she heard the English butler's name.

"You mean the butler from Gotham who resides at Wayne Manor?"

"Yep," Shayera answered prettily. "He seems to have that amazing way with kids. And I'm not surprised at all. After all, he raised half the BatFamily and Bruce bloody Wayne. The man deserves respect."

Diana couldn't help but giggle at her remark.

"And I'm sure he's having a tought time those ten past years," Shayera continued. "You can't imagine how gloomy and broody Bruce has gotten ever since you left. It affected him more than any of us. Have you seen him already?"

"No, I haven't," Diana answered. "And I'm not sure I want to," she said under her breath.

"Why don't you want to see him?" Shayera asked, having obviously heard her little murmur.

"Because I don't think that I'll be able to leave him again."

Shayera eyed her with acknowledgement, a sorrowful look forming on her emerald eyes.

"You never got to tell me what happened between you and him that night, when you visited in the Cave for the last time."

Diana gave her a sharp glare that seemed to threaten her very soul.

"Let's not start remembering those days," she suggested calmly. "There's too much sorrow. It's unwise to spoil the mood of the day."

"You're right," Shayera agreed. "We have to be at our best spirits for Wally."

**^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^**

The ceremony went splendid. The couple looked stunningly happy, the bridesmaids fabulous, and the best men elegant. A magical wedding, under the moonlight, and in a place full of green and flowers. It looked like a real paradise.

All the guests had smiles in their eyes, witnessing the wedding of two so beautiful -both in the inside and in the outside- people that had been their friends for years.

Diana sat alone on a side, since all the rest had their partners. After the ceremony was over, J'ohn neared her. He was in his human form, wearing a brown tux that suited him quite well.

"How do you find the world after ten years, Diana?" He asked with genuine interest.

"It's changed so much," Diana replied. "I can barely recognize it. But there are some things that haven't changed at all. For example, you, Clark, and the stink of evil in the air."

"You forgot to mention that _you_ haven't changed as well," J'ohn remarked sincerely. "I am surprised to say that you are the only person whose character wasn't altered by power."

"J'ohn, power in Themiscyra is not like here-" the Queen of the Amazons tried to explain, but he cut her off.

"Power is power, Diana. And everyone can be easily corrupted by it. Yet, you showed us all once more that the light you bring cannot be faded away."

Wonder Woman remained speechless for a bit. When she opened her mouth to answer, Shayera interrupted them.

"Come on, you guys!" She practically shouted. "We have a celebration to attend."

The three superheroes walked to a grand room, where a huge buffet was visible.

"Well, obviously Wally thinks that we have the same metabolism as he does," Diana joked and they laughed at it.

Apart from the buffet, in the center of the room, there was a dance floor that made Shayera squeal with excitement, as she rushed to find John, her husband.

"I think I'll go to congratulate Wally and Linda," J'ohn said and excused himself, leaving Diana on her own. She took a moment to look around more carefully and study the faces of the guests.

When her azure eyes reached a corner, she almost froze. There was a man that looked so similar to Bruce, yet he was so different. However, it couldn't be anyone but him. It was definitely him, and only ten meters were separating them.

She didn't know what to do. On the one hand, she wanted to run to him and fall into his arms, letting herself feel that security that she longed for all those years. On the other hand, she wasn't sure if that was wise, because he looked like he carried the world in his shoulders like Atlas, there was so much hidden pain, so much sorrow and that made her afraid to look at his eyes. So, she averted her eyes from him, and focused on the buffet.

Almost one hour and a half later, everyone had finished eating and some couples had already started dancing. The newlyweds were the first among them.

Diana sat quitely in a chair and kindly refused every dance proposal that was made to her. She wasn't in the mood of dancing, even though she couldn't stop smiling at the sight of Wally being so happy with his wife. Absentmindedly, she stared at her dress, a simple, strapless, blue gown. She just adored its color and the scent of silk on her, having almost forgotten it over the years.

She hadn't managed to look at Bruce's corner again. She feared that she might have met his gaze. Even after ten years, she didn't know if she was ready for it.

"I'm surprised you are not in the dance floor, dancing with some great fan of yours, or one of our colleagues."

That voice was heard just some inches behind her and she immediately knew whose voice it was. She could recognise it anywhere, even if she hadn't heard from it for ten long years.

"Bruce," she said in realization, her heart pounding so much she thought it was going to explode.

She immediately turned and faced him.

"Bruce, I'm so-"

"Not here," he said quitely. "Here everyone can see us. Come on, follow me."

She reluctantly complied, following him out of the room and into a beautiful garden, with colorful flowers and various plants.

"Why did you bring me here?" Diana asked as soon as they both stopped walking.

"Welcome back, Princess," Bruce said with a small smile. "Even though I know that your stay won't be long. You just came for the wedding, didn't you?"

"Why do you care?" The Amazon Queen demanded to know.

"When are you going to leave again? In three days perhaps? Or maybe tomorrow? I'm sure Themiscyra can't last ten days without her Queen." Bruce threw another question at her face, completely ignoring her. "You may be fooling all the others, but you won't do the same to me."

"How dare you say that?" Diana burst out in exasperation. "I've been here for almost a week and you didn't even come to see me! And now you accuse me for playing with our friends while you've been playing with me all those days? I'm infuriated with you, and I'm also enraged with your ego and your unbelievable selfishness! Hera, I don't understand why I even followed you, I should have walked away when I had the chance and-"

"You seriously can't imagine how I've missed your temper," he interrupted her and closed the distance between them instantly.

Before even realising it, Bruce locked his lips with hers.

***^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^***


End file.
